‘I Tried 4 Different Korean Sheet Masks—Here’s What Happened’

You have to see her before and afters.

Let me preface this article by saying that I absolutely, positively detest pampering.

Hear me out. Not only do pedicures, manicures, fancy cream treatments, and other forms of self-indulgence cost a ridiculous amount of money (I'm a notorious penny pincher), they're messy and waste time. The thought of spending several hours glued to a chair while aesthetians secretly judge my mega-callused feet or ingrown hairs seriously sends shivers down my spine.

But while mindlessly scrolling through Instagram one day, an advertisement for a Korean-style sheet mask caught my attention. For just 15 minutes, $5, and no cleanup, I could dramatically reduce the size of my pores and take years off my face. And let's be clear: any beautification that can simultaneously be done while I inhale Cheetos and wine on my couch is fine by me.

"Sheet masks are cotton-based sheets infused with serums or essences that can contain several ingredients to address a variety of skincare issues," explains Shilpa Agarwal, a cosmetic dermatologist. "The biggest difference between a sheet mask and a traditional clay- or cream-based mask is the element of occlusion—the sheet itself creates a seal on your skin, preventing any of the mask's essential ingredients from evaporating and helping them penetrate the skin."

While that penetrative, hydrating seal is obviously what makes these masks so wildly popular with celebs and beauty bloggers, for me, the price (and amount of work required) was right. Could Korean sheet masks be the anti-aging agent this ridiculously lazy and frugal lady was looking for? I spent a week wearing four different types of masks to find out.

Photograph courtesy of Julia Sullivan

Mask #1: Too Cool For School Egg Mask

As I began to massage the thick, mucus-like serum leftover from the Too Cool For School Egg Mask ($6, Sephora.com) onto my face (rubbing in leftover essence is standard for most sheet masks), I could already tell this probably wasn't the sheet mask for me.

I've been riddled with acne since I was a youngster, with the gnarly, cystic types of zits that engulfed my face in middle school maturing to the hormonal chin blemishes I see as a 27-year-old adult. This makes me especially wary of anything that will hydrate my face too much, as it typically will aggravate and amplify any pimples I already have. (Fight breakouts with The Rain Facial Cleanser from the Women's Health Boutique—you don't even have to rinse it off!)

So much to my non-surprise, I awoke to (yay!) three bulging, throbbing zits around my chin. And while they were forming slightly prior to me applying the mask, the creamy, eggy concoction definitely didn't help.

"Egg-based masks contain collagen and protein that can help tighten the skin, while milk-based masks contain lactic acid which serves as a gentle exfoliant," says Agarwal. "Food sensitivities or allergies to milk or eggs can cause some people to break out after using the mask. Egg masks in particular can be on the heavy side and can clog pores, which can contribute to acne as well." This mask is probably better suited for people with normal or dry skin types for this reason.

We've all seen those uber-addictive peel-off charcoal mask videos. But while I would gladly spend my Sunday afternoon watching heaps of gunk get extracted from other people's pores, you couldn't pay me to slather the stuff on my own face (search for "charcoal mask fails" on YouTube to see why).

That being said, I decided to go for the next-best remedy: charcoal sheet masks. And despite sending my horrified cat running for the closet the second he saw my ghoulish, blackened face, the Dr. Jart+ Pore Minimalist Black Charcoal Sheet Mask ($7.50, Sephora.com) did not disappoint.

The residue leftover from the mask was much lighter and less creamy than the egg mask from the previous night, leaving only a slight glisten that disappeared by morning. My pores seemed non-existent, and I could not believe how smoothly my foundation went on.

"Charcoal traditionally has been known to draw out impurities trapped in the skin, such as bacteria, oil, and environmental toxins," explains Argarwal. "It also helps to remove dead skin cells, which can leave you with that rosy glow after removing the mask."

As I was quickly learning that no two Korean sheet masks are the same, it seemed appropriate that Laneige offers not one, but six types of masks, each spotlighting a different benefit (brightening, time-freezing, moisturizing). The back of each package clearly identifies the primary benefit, what skin type it's best suited for, and the main ingredients.

The version I chose to try, Laneige Water Pocket Sheet Mask #4 Moisturizing Biogène ($26 for five masks, amazon.com), was aimed at moisturizing for all skin types. It's a water- and mineral-based moisturizing mask. I awoke to a tight complexion, with very little oiliness throughout the day. However, I also couldn't help but wonder if my skin was just growing used to the constant moisture injections.

Photograph courtesy of Julia Sullivan

Mask #4: belif Aqua Bomb Sheet Mask

Much to my lazy dismay, there was some slight assembly required with belif's Aqua Bomb Sheet Mask ($8, Sephora.com). Each package comes with two separate parts: the dry sheet mask and the essence. You have to, literally, 'pop' the liquid into the portion with the mask to saturate it.

And after reading the slew of angry Sephora reviews claiming that the goo exploded on their laps upon popping, I knew my technique needed to be spot-on before trying. So, with more force than I was expecting (I actually had to slam my hand over the package) and after several tries, I finally moved the serum into the pocket of the package with the mask.

Unlike the three other masks I tried, this one dried fairly quickly—although I'm not sure if my skin simply soaked in all that extra moisture or if the mask hadn't fully absorbed the moisture from the "bomb." That said, it was a more enjoyable experience, even though I'm not quite sure I did it right. Some of the other masks were so wet, a few drips ended up in my mouth—which tasted predictably horrible.

It's hard to imagine your skin going through any noticeable transformations with just a measly wet sheet draped over your face. But from the brightness of my skin tone to the tightness of my pores to my lack of blemishes, I was pleasantly surprised with the results from my experiment—despite the brief hiccup with the egg-based mask. Just check out my before (on the left) with my after (on the right).

But, as Agarwal explained to me, the masks are no miracle cure for skin hydration.

"After using your sheet masks, you will probably notice that your skin feels smoother and more hydrated and your makeup goes on smoother," she says. "But sheet masks aren't a replacement for a good skincare regimen. They should be used as a weekly pick-me-up or before a special event to give you that extra boost of moisture and glow."

Still, I'd take a $5 sheet mask in my PJs over a ridiculously expensive (and awkward) salon facial any day.

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